EXAMINATION OF CONVICTED CROATIAN WAR CRIMINAL IVICA RAJIC BEFORE BOSNIAN STATE COURT POSTPONED

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 8,2008) – The examination of the convicted Croatian war criminal Ivica Rajic, who was invited to testify before the Bosnian State Court at the trial of Croatian war criminal Zdravko Mihaljevic, has been postponed until mid February.

"It is obvious we will not be able to examine Ivica Rajic today or tomorrow, due to some problems facing our colleagues in Spain. The alternative dates for the examination are February 18, 19, 25 or 26.As soon as we receive the final date from Spain, we shall inform you accordingly," said Trial Chamber Chairman Saban Maksumic said.

In October 2005, at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Croatian war criminal Ivica Rajic admitted he was guilty of participation in crimes against Bosnian civilians in the Bosnian village of Stupni Do in 1993,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia. He was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment, and is serving his sentence in Spain.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges Croatian war criminalZdravko 'Pijuk' Mihaljevic, former member of the fascist paramilitary formations of the Croatians living in Bosnia (HVO), with having attacked, persecuted, murdered and tortured Bosnian civilians in Tulice village near Kiseljak in June 1993,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia.

At the hearing held on February 7, the Prosecution proposed that an additional witness be examined, who would describe "the indictee's behaviour and say what he was wearing on his head when he was arrested". It was also proposed that Mihaljevic be examined in order to determine "a disputable tattoo on his body".

The Defence objected to the examination of additional Prosecution witness Haris Adrovic, claiming that the witness' testimony "is not related to the indictment", but it did not object to the proposal to perform a physical examination of the indictee.

The Trial Chamber of the Bosnian State Court will render its decision at a later stage.